Peanut harvester



June 5, i923. v ASSAMA W. W. FORD PEANUT HARVES TER Filed Jan. i0-, 1920 5 Sheng-sheet 1 We uo Si@ A l f a v anic/L s/VimsSes n o im v WW@ Td ffnung Filed Jan. lO 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mah Mmm

Mnesses Bum 5, 1923. www@ W. W. FORD PEANUT HARVESTER Filed Jan. lO 1920 5v Sheets-Sheet 5 Wg/gig. 5.

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W. W. FORD PEANUT HARVESTER Filed Jan. l0 1920 -5 Sheets-Sheet 4 (Unna/nto@ mmsges.- www@ 15J/717W A June 5, 1923.

W. W. FORD PEANUT HARVESTER Filled J an.

lO 1920 5 Sheets-Sheetl 5 ll/0.7i;

@Howl/mj Patented June 5, i92

n l insana earner neem@ l WILLIAM w. rom), or. Aviivenii, TEXAS;

PEANUT HARVESTER.

Application filed January 10,1920. Serial No. 350,659.

T 0 all 207mm it may concern.'

' Be it known thatv I, WILLIAM V. FonD,.av citizen of the United States, residing at Avinger, in the county of Cass and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Peanut Harvest-ers, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to improvements in peanut harvesters.

In the present method of harvestingpeanuts the rvines are dug fromthe rows in which they have been planted and generally deposited directlyin the furrows made by the shovel or share. As a consequence the nuts are not properly aerated and frequently l'ro-t on the vine. In yaddition-to this, aconsiderable amount of time is requiredby the gatherers in travelling over each separate furrow to gather the vines. It may be considered the primary object "of the invention to producela peanut harvester whereby the nuts and vines harvested from at least live rows of vines will, 1n the process of har-- vesting, be all depositedan a single windrow.

A further object of the invention is to produce a harvester of this character which is of a simple and durable construction, in-y cluding at the front thereof an adjustable share that vcommunicates `with an endless slatted elevator over which the vines pass and in their passage are relieved from sand and dirt, thus partially separating the peanut vines from such material, while at the rear of the device is a conveyor arranged transversely with respect to the elevator and susceptible to movement in either of two directions. Pivoted to the elevator is a directingv chute designed to direct the vines and nuts dug by the shovel or share into the first furrow made thereby andA thereafter designed to be raised above said conveyor to allowv the vines and nuts to be deposited thereon and to be delivered therefrom to either side of the machine, all ofthe revoluble parts being operated, by the traction wheels, and all of such revoluble parts beingun'der the control of the operator.

Many other objectsl and advantages will present themselves to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains as thev nature of the invention is more fully den scribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich there is illustrated a simple and -Asatisfactoryexemplitication of the invention reduced to practice,

Viewv of the. im-

posite side of the machine.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation.

Figure 5 is afsectionalview approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is asectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 1. y

Figure 7 is a diagrainrrtatic vieu; illustraining` iive rows of vines and the direction which the machine takes in harvesting and in depositing the harvested vines and nuts inthe furrow or the row that provides the inner row.

On the drive axle l5 of my improved peai nut harvester there `are secured the ground wheels 16. If desired, the ground wheels may have their tread surfaces calked. vOn the axle 15 is al substantially rectangular fra-me 17. The axle extendsa suitable distance beyond the sides of the frame. The frame may be constructed of angle irons if desired and is provided kwith de ending,

bearings 18 for the anxle 15. Suita le collars, secured on the axle may be arranged at the opposite side'svof the bearings 18 to hold the frame against lateral movement on the axle. Y

`Keyed o r otherwise secured on the axle 15 at the outer sides Vofthe -frame 17 are rcrown toothed wheels 19. Journaled in suitable bearingsl 20 and`2l respectively formed on the endsl of bars 22 and 23 respectively are longitudinally extending shafts 24 and 25. The bar 23 Acarryingth'e bearings 21 is secured to the rear of the frame in a rigid manner, but the bar 22 ycarrying the bearings'20 is -slidable through guideways 26 in the side members of the 1 frame, Thel shafts 2L1-jand 25 have on their inner ends pinions 27 and 28 respeotively,fand it will be apparent that by sliding the bar 22 either Onithle vslidable bar, adjacent onefof the bearings 20 isan upstanding lug 29. To f this lug is pivotally connected, as at 30 a link 36'I to a'lever- 37.

rod 31 that extend-s longitudinally of the frame 17, being, of course, disposed outward y of one side of the frame. This barl terminates adjacent to theV front of the framdbut is pivoted off of its center, as at 32, to an outstanding lug 33 formed on an upstandin-g bracket 35 that is secured on one of the side members of the substantially rectangular frame-17. ,The rvf-reefend of thel red 31 is connected through the medium of a pivoted This Vlever is pivoted to a toothed segment 38 that is arranged at the front of the frame. The teeth ofthe segmentI are engaged bya spring influenced dogy 39 arranged in suitable bearing brackets.

i' on the lever, the said dog/being connected by suitable'rods or links toan operating handle 40which is also pivoted to fthe lever, and

it will be apparent thaty by operating the handle the dog will be drawn out ofengavement with the teeth ofthe segment and by swinging thelever the rod 31 will be swung on its pivotal* connectionl with the lug to slide the bar 22 to bring eitherof the pinions 27 or28 in engagement with one of i" the crown toothed wheels 19.

Secured to the frame at the lfront thereof is a tongue 41. Pivotally connected to this tongue yin the` usual manner 1s an evencr bar 42 carrying trees 43 to which the draft animals are attached'. `Thel tongue 41 eX-y tends a suitable distance inward of the frame having its inner end secured to a cross bar 45.` that connects 'the sidebars of the frame inward of' the frontend bar and to this cross barjissecured the arched' spring member that supports the seat 46.v y To the ,rear lof he frame is4 secured a depending'standard or post 47 havingv a lower bifurcatedi.l end through which is journalled nthe shaft that supports the guide wheel 48.

i 50 ofthe endless elevator.

., said side members ofthe elevator have piv-` V otallyl secured, asl at 52 at their outer and' lower ends thelanged sides 53 ofthe shovel or-'l share 54. 4',.Fhejshovel has its outer .end pointed and is provided with spaced perfor- Vationsv 5,5 and' has .its inner edge formed with A'o1itstandiiig tines' 56.] vTo the flanged' sides 53. of shovel are connected upstanding links l571y These linksr are loosely connected vto arms. 58 formed on the ends off a shaft 59.

i The, shaftJ isf centrally journaljed in suitable,

bearing GJQOneither the front; ofthe frame or en the tongue and secured to'fthe shaftk at one of the endsthereof is a lever 6l. To

one side. ofthe ylever is a toothed segment 62, and carried by the lever is i a spring pressed dog 63 that engages between the teeth 4of the segment, the said dog being con-l nected by links toa handle 64 that ispivoted to the lever, and apressure upon this handle will bring the dog out of engagement from ybetween the teeth'of the segment and permit the lever to be swung to rock the shaft and through the medium of the arms thereof and the li-nks connected with the shovel raise or lowerv the yshovel as desired. "By reference to the drawings it will be noted that the levers which control the lshovel and which control the pinions are disposed at" the opposite sides of the seatv46 and-'are iny close proximity to the-occupant of the seat.

Between the side plates 50\'for the end'- less elevator there are journal'ed at lthe top and at the bottom thereof shafts 65 and 66 respectively. On the lower shaft there is' v secured a drum 67, while on the upper shaft, inward of the side members of the elevator are sprocket wheels 68. Around the sprocket wheels and arou-nd the drum` there are trained rendlessv chains69 to which are connected transversely arranged slats 7,0, the said slats being suitably spaced so thatV the vines and nuts delivered thereto bfy fthe. shovel will, while being elevated, be sufficiently agitated to remove therefrom sand, dirt and other foreign accumulation.' The shaft 65 has one of its ends projecting a suitable distance beyond one of the side plates of the elevator and onl the outer end thereof there is secured a sprocket wheel 71. Around this sprocket wheel is trained an end-less chain 72 which is also trai-ned over a sprocket wheel 73 that has its shaft 74 jfournaled'in suitable upstanding bearings" 75 supported byY thev side members of thefra'me 17. The shaft is provided with suitable.collars'ory j sleeves to hold the same againstl lateral movement. On the shaft 74 there is keyed or otherwise secured a toothed wheel 7d which meshes with a llarger-toothed. wheel 77 that is keyed or otherwise' secured tothe drive axley 15. It willthusbe .apparent that when the device is propelled the' elevator will b e operated continuouslyin an. upward direction. f

Supported by suitable uprights 78 on the frame 17 are `the side` plates 79 of the convevor or directing means for distributing" i the nuts and vinesto; the sides of the ma! chine. Between the ends of the side.. plates 79.. are arranged drums 8O that have-short shafts or trunnions passing through bearing openings'v in depending brackets'80X- on: the ends of the plates. For distinctioirthe trunnion or shaft' projecting outwardlyandj rearwardly from one of the drums through the outer brackety is indicated bythe nu-` meral 81 andthe 'otherlikewise extending shaft is indicated*` by'v *the* numeral `82.'

Around the drums there is trained the endless conveyor which comprises flexible side members 83 and transverse slats 84 connect-- ing said flexible members. s

On thel outer plate of the elevator there is pivotally secured, as `at 85 a chute 86. This chute is disposed directlyopposite the deare rounded outwardly as at 88. `The ends of the side members of the elevator are designed to be received in the cut out portion of the chute when the chute is loweredy upon its pivot against the said conveyor. To one of the side members or danges 87 of the chute is pivotally secured, as at 89, a rod 90. This rod passes through a suitable guide 91 on the top of the bracket 35. The bracket has its top portion flat and is provided at its ends with upstanding members or lugs 92 and 98 respectively. The rod 90, adjacent to the free end thereof is widened upon its lower edge and the said widened portion is provided with two spaced angularly disposed slots 94 and 95, and the said rod outward of the said widened portion is formed with a handle member 96 that is disposed at one side of the seat 46. It will be apparent that by grasping the handle the operator may bring the slot 95 to engage with the lug 93 to hold the chute in receiving position with respect to the elevator. By forcing the rod rearwardly, bringing either the slots 94 or 95 in engagement with the lug 92 the chute may be raised above the delivery conveyor out of receiving position and permit the vines and nuts to fall upon the conveyor through the opening provided by the cut out portion of the chute.

By referring to the drawings it will be noted that the conveyor is of a length equaling four rows of plants, but is so arranged on the frame that the distance between one of the ends thereof, and the elevator is equal to the distance between the two rows of plants while the other end is disposed away from the elevator a distance equaling three rows of plants. On the shaft 81, which is at the short end of the conveyor, there is a sprocket wheel 97. On the end of the longitudinal shaft 25 there is a similar sprocket wheel 97 Around these sprocket wheels is trained an endless chain 98. On the second shaft 82 at the opposite end of the conveyor there is secured a sprocket wheel 99. On the outer end of a shaft 24 is a similar sprocket wheel 100. Around the sprocket wheels 99 and 100 is trained a chain 101. Reference is now to be had to'Figure 7 of the drawings. The central rowof plants is the windrow. For distinction this row is indicated vby 102. The chute is lowered -against the rear end of the conveyor and the shovel is properly adjusted so that the row will be dug and the plants will travel over the .shovel and over the elevator to be disposed by said chute in the windrow or travel of the elevator, as indicated by the arrow 103, upon reaching ,the 'end of the windrow the machine isturned to the right in a position to operate upon a second row of plants indicatedv by the numeral 104. The lever is operated. to swing the shafts 24k and 25 so that the pinion 28 on the shaft 25 will be brought into ymesh with the crown wheel 19 adjacent thereto which moves the conve or in the direction of what l have termedv The conthe short end of the conveyor. veyor travels in the direction of the arrows 105, the shovel digging the plants, and the same being raised to the elevator on to the conveyor and then disposed on the windrow 102. When the machine is at the end of the row 104 it is turned to the right, the shovel being lifted so that the same is positioned to dig the plants in one of the upper rows which may be indicated by the numeral 106. The `shovel is properly engaged to dig the plants and the conveyor is moved in the direction of the arrow 107. This causes the plants and nuts to be raised from the elevator on to the conveyor to be disposed in the windrow 102. The shovel is again lifted and the machine brought to aline with the row of plants indicated in the diagram .by the numeral 107. The lever is again operated for swinging the shafts 24 and 25 so that the sprocket combination 27 is brought into mesh with the second crown wheel 19. This reverses the direction of movement of the conveyor so that the long end of the conveyor is brought next to the windrow 102; and the shovel being brought to operative position, the conveyor traveling in the direction of the arrow 108 will dispose of the plants and nuts on the windrow 102. At the end of the row 107 the machine is turned to the left so that the same is -in a line with the second outer row of plants indicated by the numeral 109. The conveyor will move in the direction of the arrow 110. The shovel will dig the plants and the elevator will lift the same and dispose of the plants on the conveyor which will deliver them to the windrow.

By the construction of the elevator and the conveyor, the said plants will be thoroughly shaken when traveling over the same so that the dirt and the foreign matter will be removed therefrom. Around the several rows dug and upon the windrow the plants and nuts will be properly aerated, and itisl thought from the'y fore-- going'l description when taken in (formed- `tion with' the accompanying drawings that theoonstruction and operation of the Inat-v ter will be` provided Without further detailsof desoription'.- -V

"Having now described and yascentain'ed the' natlnre of my invention, `what I claim as new islzl l' In a Peanut harvester, a Wheeled frame,

ani inclined `endless elevator l supported-l thereby? and operated by the' Wheels of` the Mrame, ashovel at the forward end of the elevator, aconveyor arranged riglitr angulfarlly with respect to the elevator, disposed therebeneathy and supported at the re'ar'o'f 'e tlfie'rame, lsaid conveyor having O'ne'of its 'ends disposed a further distance away' tromV auf the elevator tban'its other end, means' op` eratedfby the Wheels of the' frame for'ir'nparting' -motion to the conveyor i'nfeitlier of tWof directions', ine'ans'roontrolfling-tle dieV y reotion of travel of the conveyor, a chute having a eut-out portion-wtoprovide pro-- jfecting' sides which are hingedly` ysl1p'13o`1"'teo`l ontlie lframe of the elevator" and'v whereby nuts and vines raised by the elevator may be Vdelivered through' the' saidcut-Out lportion of the chute on' to thelconveyorymeans supporting the chutein suchposition, tI-rdV meansI for swinging theek-lite to a down-fv Ward inclination to receive thereon the' foi i l nuts and' vines'from the elevator* todeliver WILLIAM 'FoRnQf 

